Gun shot aimed at wild boar kills friend

A friend of a poacher was killed by his gunshot when he aimed the gun at a wild boar early yesterday while they were hunting with another friend, Pothuhera police said.

This tragedy happened around 5.30 in the morning while the three friends were hunting wild boars for Christmas in the Alugolla forest in Rambukkana.

Seeing an approaching wild boar, the three friends had laid on the ground preparing to kill the animal. However, when the one behind the other two pulled the trigger aiming at the animal, the shot had hit the head of the man in front of him as he had suddenly raised his head. The gunshot had killed him on the spot, police said.

All three are residents of Kudumbuwa Palagala. They had borrowed a licensed 12 point gun for the hunting mission.

The two friends were taken into custody with the gun used for hunting. (Pushpakumara Jayarathna)